Marginalia1549.
The aunswere of Boner to Secretary Peter.Truly Maister Secretary (sayd the Byshop) I haue also of long while bene disused in the study of the law, but hauyng occasion (partly by reason of this matter) to turne my bookes, I finde the law to be as I say: and yet (as I sayd) I tel you hereof but by þ^e way, not mynding to sticke much with you in that poynt.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Secretary Smyth to Boner.At which wordes Maister Secertary Smith sayd also vnto the Byshop: wel my Lord of London, as cunnyng as you make your selfe in the law, there be here that knoweth the law as well as you: and for my parte I haue studied the law to, and I promise you these bee but quiddites and quirkes inuented to delay matters, but our Cōmission is to procede summarely, & de plano, and to cut of such friuolous allegations.

MarginaliaThe aunswere of Boner to Secretary Smyth.Well, (sayd the Byshop agayne) looke well on your Commission, and you shall finde therin these woordes: to procede accordyng to the law and Iustice, and I aske both law and Iustice at your handes.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Secretary Peter.Then Maister Secretary Peter willed him to stand no more thereupon, but to procede vnto his aunswere. Wherupon he tooke forth a writyng, wherin was conteined his aunswere to the denunciation exhibited the day before by Latymer and Hooper, and deliueryng it vnto the Archbyshop, sayd that it was of his owne hād writyng, and for lacke of sufficient time writtē so hastely and coursely, that it could scarsely be read of any other, & therfore he desired to read it him selfe: and so takyng it agayne read it openly.

MarginaliaBoners writing exhibited to the Cōmissioners aūswering to the denunciation.Wherein first he alledged (or rather shamelesly and sclaunderously cauilled) that those his denoūcers were vyle, infamed, and notorious criminous persons, and also open & manifest heretickes, aswell agaynst the rest of the Sacramentes of the Church, as chiefly agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar, and were of the same by the orders of the Church excommunicated and accursed, and were so taken of all the Catholickes of this Realme, and especially Hoper: MarginaliaExceptiōs layde by Boner agaynst Maister Hooper hys denoūcer.who besides other his poysoned doctrine and heresie taught amongest the people, had also before the tyme of the denunciation, made diuerse erroneous and hereticall bookes agaynst the true presence of Christes body in the Sacrament of the aultar, and did also still continue in the same, allowyng and mayntainyng it as good and Catholicke: which bookes and doctrine (chiefly agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter) W. Latimer had and then likewyse did allow, beleue, and teach, to the losse of both theyr own soules & also their beleuers, and therfore were not now or ought at any tyme to bee admitted either in this their denunciation agaynst him, or in any other Iudiciall Acte: and þ^t rather also, bycause that although they pretended in their denunciation, that they made not the same of any malice or euill will towardes him, but for the good tranquilitie and quiet gouernaunce of this Realme: MarginaliaThe friuolous quarelling of Boner agaynst his denouncers.yet was it notoriously knowen, that aswell the same day at after noone in which hee the sayd Byshop preached at the Crosse of Paules, as also at sondry other tymes, they two conspiryng with other of their faction, did maliciously and vnlawfully within his Dioces assemble together a great rablement of such as thē selues were, and there vnder the colour of reading, did openly raile and inuey agaynst him, not for any the causes pretended in their denunciation, but bycause he had in his Sermō declared (as the Catholicke Church taught) that in the Sacrament of the aulter there was the very true body and bloud of Christ, the same in substaunce that was hanged and shed vpon the Crosse.

MarginaliaBoner put to a bare shifte.Then after these vayne and friuolous allegations agaynst the denouncers, he commeth and aunswereth to the substaunce of their denunciation, and sayth that where they in þ^e same do falsely surmise that there were deliuered vnto him from the kynges Maiestie, by the handes of the Lord Protectour and the rest of hys highnes Counsaile, certeine Iniunctions and Articles to be published and declared vnto the people at a day limited in the same, their information in such sorte as it was deduced, was most false and vntrue, for that theArticles deliuered vnto hym by Syr Thomas Smith one of the kynges Secretaries, were neither signed with the kynges owne hand, neyther sealed with his highnes seale or signet, nor yet subscribed by any of his Counsaile. &c.

MarginaliaBoners vaine cauillation to no purpose.Where marke, I besech you, the subtiltie of a disloyall Papist, who bycause the Articles were not sealed or signed by the kyng or his Counsaile, would make them therfore not to be of any such force, as that the breach therof should cause hym to incurre the daunger of contemptuous disobedience. But admitte they were not signed nor sealed (of which thyng by the way in þ^e denunciatiō there is no mention yea or nay) yet is it manifest by the second Bill of Articles ministred vnto him by the Commissioners in the fourth Acte of this processe, that at such tyme as he was before the Counsell, those Articles were by the commaundement of the Lord protectour openly there read vnto him by one of the Secretaries, and after addition of the Article concernyng the kinges lawfull power and authoritie duryng his yong yeares, were also deliuered vnto him by the handes of the Lord Protectour, in the presence of the rest of the Counsell: who thus receiuyng them, promised there faithfully to accomplishe all the contentes thereof. After which they were agayne deliuered vnto Secretarie Smith to amende such thinges therein as the Lord Protectour and the rest of the Counsell had there appointed. Which beyng accordyngly done (as the Bishop him selfe at the last recept therof confessed) were finally deliuered vnto him by the Secretarie: and therfore was this but a poore shift.

MarginaliaBoners supposition.Now after thys, he maketh a supposition: that in case it were true, that the Iniunctions were deliuered hym according to their information: yet was it vnture that he dyd omitte or refuse to declare the same for any such causes as they had alledged against hym, and that dyd well appeare in the discourse of hys sermon, MarginaliaBoner agaynst the rebelles.which tended principally (as he sayd) to the disalowing and condemnation of all Rebels, and chiefly of the Rebels in Northfolke, Suffolke, Deuonshiere, and Cornewall, or elswhere within this realme of England: who forgetting theyr allegeance and duty vnto their prince assigned them by Gods word as theyr supreme head, their naturall loue & care for their coūtrey, wiues, children, and kinsfolke, dyd both deserue death bodily as traytors, and also accumulate vnto them selues damnation of body and soule eternally with Satan the father and first mouer of all rebellion and disobedience: and herewithall farther exclaming against the pretenses of those Rebels, who amongest other thinges pretended the Masse and holy water with such like, which were neuer ordeyned for the purpose, to colour & maintayne rebellion (as hee sayd he then proued out of the 16. Nombers. 1. Reg. 15. Leuit. 10. & 4. Luke. 13. and Actes. 5. in best maner that he could, as one not exercised greatly in preaching, but restrayned therefrom) but hauing humilitie of hart, innocēcie of liuing, knowledge of God, loue to our neighbours, with obedience to Gods worde, Ministers and superiour powers concurrent with them, MarginaliaExternall rites and ceremonyes.they being externall rites and ceremonies of the Church, were exercises of religion, and apoyntable by superiour powers: and yet that, which (standing the lawe) might be good, was by pryde and disobedience made euyll and vnprofitable.

And here he farther sayd, because he saw the people slacke in comming to the Communion and diuine seruice set forth by the kinges Maiestie, and to the entent he would make them haue a better opinion in the Sacrament then he thought they had, hee then faythfully dyd declare hys beliefe therein. Wherwith hys denoūcers being offended, they vncharitably and vntruly deduced in theyr pretenced denunciation, that in hys sermon he dyd intreate of such thinges as most should stur vp vnto dissension and tumult: MarginaliaAs iustly they myght, the same being hereticall & blasphemous agaynst the humanitie of Christ.whereby it appeared vnto hym, that his denouncers either tooke hys Catho-